Somewhere in Between
by Sweet-Tahira
Summary: The Time between the end of The Deathly Hallows and before Harry marries Ginny...the friendship/relationship that blossoms between Harry and Luna...
1. Chapter 1

Somewhere In Between

Chapter One: Loved from the Beginning

He felt his hands as they became covered in a light film of sweat. He wasn't sure why he was here despite the chill of the upcoming winter. He felt his hands ball into fists in his pockets and then unfurl themselves letting them rest against the inside of his lined wool coat. He was here for… for… acceptance…peace… he wasn't sure anymore. Many nights he had come here… stood right at the gate. He hadn't been back since that night… that first and only night when he and Hermione ventured here looking for answers and only found a dead woman, a broken wand and misbegotten hopes. But tonight was different though… tonight there shouldn't be any of those things waiting for him unless they were in the form of his own memories.

He had battled his demons… had fought through the darkness and come out on the other side. Sure he lost many friends…many loved ones along the way but they had died not in vain. They had fought by his side not just for him but for their future. It had been worth it. All the men and women that had been lost that night; Fred, Tonks, Remus… and so many more, had died for the future of those that remained and those that were to come. He swallowed hard feeling the object roll through his fingers in his pocket. For some reason it felt heavier than before and he didn't know why. As if trying to escape the lump there he removed his hand feeling the cool air hit the flesh and let it rest on the broken metal gate. He watched the messages appear one by one over the plaque in front of him that stood between him and his old home. He swallowed hard.

Harry Potter we'll fight to the end!

He smiled letting his fingertips run across the message and watched it glow slightly at the contact almost as if it could sense that he was there…that it was the son that came home. Looking up he felt the tears sting the backs of his eyes for some reason. A part of him wanted to go in… he could… he knew that although access was restricted it would never be to him. He was the son of those great two people who died to protect him. They loved him and therefore what was theirs would never be barred to him and yet his feet wouldn't move.

He exhaled deeply and took a step back watching the writing on the podium begin to fade and slowly disappear. He stared at his home one more time before turning away and almost slamming face first into the petite form of a slender blond. His hands reached out on instinct grabbing her forearms to steady himself as well as the woman before him. Putting her at arms length he blinked, once, twice before he realized who was staring back at him. The bright blue eyes against the pale skin were unmistakable. Her thin lips were slightly tinged bluish pink he could see from their close proximity. He wasn't sure how long she had been outside but there was a pinkish tinge to her cheeks that only came from hours of chilly weather. "Luna." He breathed out watching his breath mingle and disappear into the air between them.

He watched her head tilt slightly. "Greetings Harry Potter." Her voice ironically sounded so much like the girl he had first met many years before. It was as if timed had evolved every part of her except that melodic voice and her eyes… The eyes that were wide and blue as a clear summer sky stared back at him untouched by time.

"Luna what are you…I mean why are you… How are you?" He settled on the last question finally.

She stared at him for a moment as if trying to read some secret message behind his eyes. But there weren't anymore messages there… no more secrets to be had. He had gotten rid of them…all of them he would like to believe. He was trying to move on. That's the reason why he was here after all and yet… something had stopped him. Something was holding onto him, keeping him from moving forward. He could feel the weight in his pocket again becoming heavier and heavier.

"Is that a yes or a no Harry Potter?" She asked softly still staring at him and he realized that she had spoken while he had gotten lost in his own thoughts.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Have some Periwinkles snatched your ability to concentrate?" She asked.

He felt a smile tug at his lips seeing the seriousness in her face. "Uh… no. Not at all. I was just thinking." He remarked. "What was the question?"

"I asked if you've talked to them lately." She remarked giving a slight nod to the graveyard in the not so far distance.

He looked out seeing the gate that surrounded the cemetery. The silver seemed to sparkle brighter in the oncoming night. It could only be magic, he thought to himself. "Probably not as often as I should." His voice sounded thick to his own ears. He looked back at her and saw that she had now moved to the podium. Coming to stand behind her he could faintly smell the shampoo in her hair; lavender and vanilla. He watched her run her fingers across the magical stand before them watching the letters begin to appear.

"The things we are capable of. It's amazing isn't it Harry Potter?"

He nodded. "They really believed in me huh?"

"They loved you… from the very beginning." She answered looking over at him with a bright smile. She noticed the questionable look in his eyes. "What… is there something in my hair? Perhaps a Snatch Patch?" She offered reaching up to find the imaginary creature.

He reached out on impulse stopping her hand from messing with perfection. "No... I just…" He stopped for a moment feeling her skin upon his. Her hand was cold… ice cold but smooth. It felt like phoenix feathers without the warmth.

"What?" She asked when he didn't continue.

Once again he snapped back to attention. Pulling back he reached for his gloves and began to cover her hands with them as he talked. "I don't think they loved me. They didn't even know me." He stated matter-of-factly.

She wriggled her fingers in the leather encasement as though they were foreign to her eyes. "Don't you love your parents?" She asked still staring down at her own hands with complete interest.

"Of course." He answered immediately.

"But you never knew them. Why do you believe they must know you to love you?" She asked.

"They loved me for living… they loved the Boy Who Lived… not Harry Potter."

She seemed to give his statement a lot of thought as she remained silent for a long time. He opened his mouth as though to speak again when she cut him off by grabbing his bare hand. The leather rubbed across his flesh and he felt a slight tingle run through him.

"Then we were the lucky ones weren't we?" She asked.

"What?"

"Because we loved you… we loved you from the very start… we loved the boy who lived and we loved the man who survived. We loved Harry Potter." She stated openly and the honesty in her statement created the lump in his throat.

"You think you were lucky?"

"As lucky as any Crinkle Croon on Wednesday!" She remarked enthusiastically.

"People died because they knew me." He stated softly.

"…and some died because they didn't." She replied. "They didn't know just how far you would go to protect those that you loved… they underestimated you and what you could do… who you could be." She stared him in the eyes, blue meeting green and he watched the slight curve at the end of her lips. Reaching out she brushed the wild tendrils of his black hair away from his forehead and stared at his scar. "Harry Potter… you are so much more than the boy who lived."

And for countless moments they simply stayed that way. The fading autumn wind blowing across their faces in the midst of the diminishing sunlight began to cast shadows as the day grew darker but he didn't seem to mind… he didn't seem to notice. Her words seemed to echo in his ears creating something that almost felt serene. It had been a long time since he felt that. In truth there had been a turbulence in him since the moment Dumbledore had left this world and no amount of truths could calm it… but here… in this moment it all almost seemed okay.

Reaching out she grabbed his hand. "Would you like to go and see them?" She asked with a raised brow.

It took him a moment to realize whom she was referring to. Looking over his shoulder he could still see their headstones, lit by some unseen light. Turning back to her she was staring at him, waiting on his answer. He swallowed hard and then nodded. With a gentle tug he led them up the stone walkway and through the gate not stopping until they stood before it. The grey cement seemed to shine as though laminated by some unseen wax. Letting his eyes roam over their names he felt the lump in his throat. Taking their joined hands she guided his to the headstone. Spreading his palm across the cement she rubbed the back of his hand for a moment before pulling back.

"Talk to them…that's why you're here isn't it?" She whispered softly.

He looked down at his hand on the stone hedge and felt the sting in his green orbs. "I don't… I don't know what to say." His whisper was hoarse, filled with so much emotion he thought he might choke.

She smiled slightly. "I'm sure anything that you want to talk about will be fine… but you could start with telling them about the ring in your pocket." She remarked easily.

He furrowed his brow looking down at his coat pocket and then back up at her. 'How did she know? How could she know?'

"Luna how…"

"I'll wait for you down by your house." She cut him off already drifting away.

He watched her for a moment still bewildered by what she couldn't possibly know and yet somehow… somehow she did. Turning back to his parents he exhaled a deep breath and gave a crooked smile. "She's a bit of… well… a bit of everything I suppose." He remarked. "Hey mum… dad… I just… I should come here more often. I think sometimes…sometimes I'm afraid. Kind of ironic when you think about it; I've faced Voldermort, watched the people that I love be struck down protecting me… or just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time… but it's here, when I'm standing in front of the two of you that I'm most afraid… I wonder what you would think of me. Would you be proud of me… would you love me… I mean me, the person I am now… not the boy that you sacrificed yourselves for? Would you love me and the person that I've become?" He wiped the tears from his face with the back of his hand and took in a deep chilled breath. Stuffing his hands into his pockets he felt the small square velvet box brush his fingertips. Pulling it out he stared at it for a moment. "I'm going to propose to Ginny… I think you both would have liked her very much." He smiled slightly. "She's good to me; she loves me." He shrugged with the last statement. Looking over his shoulder he watched Luna in the distance as she seemed to stare up at some unknown creature in the night sky. Her hands reaching out for what he wasn't sure; he smiled before looking down at the box in his hand. Turning his back on her he looked down at the headstones once more. "But I wonder sometimes if she truly understands me… the person that I am… the things that I've done… that I've wanted to do." He whispered underneath his breath. "I wonder…" Stuffing the box back in his pocket with resignation he touched the headstones once more. "I'll be back… sooner than later." He promised before walking away.

He found her still staring up at the night sky. Coming to stand beside her he looked up. "So what is it; cranky corpouses… snatch patches… what?" He asked with a smile as he placed his hands in his pockets.

She cocked her head to one side and took a soft breath. "The stars, Harry… I'm staring at the stars. I'm hoping that one might fall my way." She stated.

Looking over at her profile he felt a wide grin come to his lips. "Perhaps it will."

Tearing her eyes away she gazed at him. "Was it everything you hoped it was… your conversation?" She asked lazily.

He nodded. "It's coming along." He stated.

"That is good. Well Harry Potter it seems I must leave you. I seem to have stayed out later than I anticipated and I am sure to miss tonight's episode of Jeopardy if I do not hurry." Reaching out she began to remove his gloves when he reached out on instinct and stopped her. His fingers closed over her partially uncovered palms. The coldness of his hands being warmed by her flesh gave him tingles all over his body.

He swallowed and looked up into her eyes. "Just… keep them. I'll get another pair. You need them more than I do." He muttered pulling back after a moment and running his fingers through his hair.

She looked down at the gloves than back up into Harry's eyes. She stared at him and then shrugged. "I thank you. Have a good night." She stated with a slight wave before turning on her heel and skipping off her blond hair swaying in the wind.

He watched her go, feeling as though tonight would not be their last encounter… how right he was.


	2. Mistletoe

Somewhere in Between

Chapter Two: Mistletoe

The next time he saw her was in Diagon Alley about a month after their last encounter. The Fall was long gone, Christmas fast approaching. With only a week till the day he found himself in the midst of frantic patrons all still looking for the 'perfect' gift. Ron had ditched him over an hour ago down a side street in search of something for Hermione. The last words leaving his lips were 'I'll be right back mate'. Looking down at his watch he shook his head as he brushed a few flakes of snow from the face. He wasn't sure why he was here. He had finished all his shopping and yet he insisted that he still needed to get something for Ginny. In truth he had her present… her ring… but still he hadn't been able to give it to her. It wasn't that he didn't love her. He did. He was sure of that… and yet the ring still remained with him. He still held onto it.

Coming out from the newly built wand shop run by Olivander he tucked the decorative encasement that he bought for Mrs. Weasly further into the bag. He didn't have to buy it, in truth he had already gotten her a cooking book but when he saw it… well he just couldn't help himself. He smiled thinking of the way that she would grab him, hug him as though it were the most thoughtful gift ever given and he would be taken aback all the same. Just as he was taken aback when he ran into the woman before him; looking down he smiled at the pair of silver blue eyes that greeted him. Serene and thoughtful, they shined against the brightness of the day.

"Luna… I keep running into you… literally." He remarked straightening his glasses that had gone slightly askew. "I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize Harry Potter. There are quite a few people here today." She stated brushing a few snowflakes from her sleeves. "You too are still Christmas shopping… for Ginny?" She asked softly.

"Yes… no… I mean… yes I'm still shopping… no, not for Ginny. I picked up something for Mrs. Weasly." He fumbled with the words feeling like the same Harry from years before that only wanted to ask Cho to the dance.

She raised her brow, shifting her head to one side slightly as if looking into him… searching him. It would have seemed intrusive if it had been anyone else but for some reason her stare was less demanding… simply observing him.

He smiled slightly. "And you… what about you?"

"I have nothing for Mrs. Weasly." She stated innocently.

He wanted to laugh. For the first time in about two weeks he wanted to truly laugh. Instead he cleared his throat and shook his head. "No I meant are you still Christmas shopping?" He asked.

She nodded. "Oh yes. Just a few things left to pick up." She raised her bag slightly and in it were several pounds of what looked to be Mistletoe. He raised his brow unable to help himself. He had to ask… he had to know.

"That's a lot of mistletoe there…" He swallowed hard looking down at the bag and then back up into her eyes hoping that she would catch on and elaborate.

"Yes… it is needed." She remarked. "Mistletoe is an important part of Christmas… especially for muggles isn't it?" She asked.

He nodded and swallowed hard again. Looking down at the heaps of mistletoe and then back to her face he found his eyes on her lips for just a second. "Yes… yes it is." He mumbled. There was a moment of brief silence as they stood in the afternoon sunlight, the coldness of winter dancing around them. Finally he just had to know. "Are you planning on hanging that around somewhere? That's a lot of kissing." He blurted out unable to help himself. As soon as the words left his mouth he found that his cheeks were burning.

She stared at him for a moment as if not understanding and then her eyes drifted to the bag. "Kissing… people kiss mistletoe?" She asked with a furrowed brow.

"What? No… people hang it up… around the house, in doorways and when two people walk underneath it… they kiss… wait… if that's not why you're buying it then what do you need it for?" He asked.

"A Hat of course," She remarked. "My father would like a Fedora made from Mistletoe… he thinks it's quite fetching. I thought it would be nice to make him one…" She stated. "Kissing because of a plant, that sounds quite deceptive and sneaky… Muggles are quite interesting aren't they?" She inquired with a shrug.

"Yeah… I guess they are." He stated scratching the back of his head like he used to do when he was younger.

She smiled. "Well I should be off… still a few things to buy. I did not mean to keep you." She remarked beginning to walk around him when he turned to catch up.

"Actually I wouldn't mind tagging along to keep you company. If that's okay with you," he was already falling into step beside her.

"Not at all, perhaps you can tell me more about this Mistletoe Christmas custom. It does sound quite interesting." She remarked lazily. "I suppose it works if you are caught beneath it with someone you like very much… like you and Ginny I suppose."

Suddenly his cheeks were red again. "Yeah…" He mumbled.

"But what if you were caught underneath it with Ron? I know that you like him a lot but something tells me that you would not like to kiss him under mistletoe." She stated.

"Well there are exceptions to the rule. I mean it's sort of something for fun… just a tradition… like having eggnog on Christmas." He remarked.

She nodded. "Yes I suppose. For instance what if we were caught under the mistletoe… that would be kind of odd wouldn't it… what should we do?" She asked stopping in the doorway of the sewing shop.

He shrugged. "It would… well I mean we're friends so it wouldn't mean… I guess it would…"

Before he could finish whatever he was trying to say she leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek and then pulled back with a half grin. Pointing upwards he noticed that they were indeed under mistletoe. Looking back into her eyes he swallowed hard trying to avoid the flush of warmness that was starting to take over him.

"I suppose it is not so bad." She remarked.

"No… not at all." He whispered. His voice came out slightly breathless and he shook himself trying to get his rapidly beating heart back under control. Before he could say anything more Ron appeared at the foot of the steps grinning wildly as he held up several bags.

"Look mate… I think I'm all good." Ron stated practically tripping over the bags in his hands.

"Wow Ron… that's a lot of gifts for Hermione."

The redhead shrugged slightly his face coming to match his hair. "She's worth it." He remarked with a lopsided grin. "Hey Luna." He stated as if just noticing her for the first time.

"Hello Ronald." She remarked brightly with a wide smile.

Coming up the steps he looked back and forth between the two of them. "Are you doing some last minute shopping?" He asked.

"Yes… and learning the muggle custom of kissing under mistletoe. Harry has been nice enough to teach me." She stated.

Ron raised a brow not sure what to think. Before he could continue Luna leaned over and placed a kiss on his forehead and then pointed above them in explanation. The redhead simply nodded looking at Harry as if saying 'well that's Luna.' He smiled. "Well… then… are you almost done? I want to get back and start wrapping presents… you know maybe even see if I can find a few of the presents that Hermione hid around the house." He stated.

"You go on… I still need a few things for Ginny." Harry stated looking down at the one bag he had picked up.

"Okay… see you later than mate." He replied before turning to Luna. "Hey there's going to be a get together tonight at my parent's house… Luna, why don't you come along… I'm sure Ginny would like to see you." He remarked before leaving.

Harry watched him go feeling guiltier than he had in a long time. "Is there a reason you lied to him Harry?" She asked. He turned and looked up into her eyes expecting them to be accusing… disappointed but there was none of that. She was simply asking… simply wondering. He didn't understand why she was so unassuming… so patient with him… with everything it seemed.

He opened his mouth to say one thing… to deny that he had been lying but instead he asked, 'can we go for a walk Luna?'

She nodded. "If you would like."

Neither said anything as they made their way out of Diagon Alley and back onto the Muggle side of town. She seemed perfectly content to walk with him in silence if that is what he required and for a moment that's exactly what he wanted. He just wanted silence… silence and peace and for some reason both seemed to elude him lately.

It was more than 20 minutes before he finally turned to her. "I haven't proposed to Ginny yet." The words tumbled out.

She turned to look at him with wide silver eyes that seemed almost unreal. "I know."

He should have asked how but it just didn't seem important. "I love her. I really love her." He stated softly.

She nodded slowly but said nothing. "But sometimes I wonder… I don't always know if… there are moments when she looks at me and…" he couldn't bring himself to finish that statement.

"That she does not understand you." She remarked lazily.

He looked up sharply at her words and they held a stare. "That she won't love the person I am now. I'm not the same guy… I've… I've…murdered someone… that there was a time when I wanted to murder before… before I killed Voldermort." He swallowed hard. "I'm not normal."

"Is this about Professor Snape?" She asked and once again he found that he couldn't look away from her. "You wanted him to die… you wanted him to hurt because he took Dumbledore away from you."

"…but he didn't." He remarked.

"But at the time that's what you thought… you believed that he had stolen something from you… personally. You were angry… and you felt as though you were losing everything. It is understandable to feel that way… to want others to hurt the way they made you hurt. It does not make you any less normal Harry. Perhaps you should talk to Ginny about this… perhaps she will surprise you."

"…or she might look at me funny. She may think I'm different…no better than Voldermort."

"You are better. You do not hurt others because you can… not even when they deserve it. You could have hurt Draco Malfoy but you didn't. You could have left him to die but you did not. You have compassion." Standing in front of him she reached out and placed a hand over his chest. "You have a heart…something the Dark Lord never had. That makes you different… that makes you better." Looking up into his green eyes she smiled.

"You should come tonight… to the party. I would like you to be there." He stated softly.

She nodded before taking a step back and removing her hand. "Oh… before I forget…" Reaching inside her pocket she pulled out a rectangular box that seemed much too big to fit into such a tiny space and handed it to him.

He looked at it for a moment. "A present; Luna you shouldn't have." Opening the box he found a pair of red and gold gloves inside with his initials engraved at the wrists. "Luna…" he began but she reached out grabbed the items and began putting them on his hands.

"I thought perhaps you too could use a pair." She replied putting them on his hands. When she was done she grabbed the box and put it back in her pocket where it disappeared from sight. "See you tonight Harry." She smiled and then was gone.


End file.
